


Here and Now

by truth_renowned



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-03
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-12-10 11:15:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11690487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/truth_renowned/pseuds/truth_renowned
Summary: Based on a prompt from movrings: "Not enough space".





	Here and Now

Peggy let out a sigh and collapsed on top of Daniel, fully sated and breathless. His breathing wasn’t much better, so it took considerable effort for him to lift himself up on his elbows and scoot the both of them toward the edge of the bed.

She lifted her head. “What are you doing?”

“Giving you some room. The bed’s too small for two.”

“We seem to fit just fine.” She snuggled her head against his neck.

“You can’t sleep on top of me,” he said, his hands smoothing over her back.

“Why not?”

She separated their bodies, molding herself to his left side as he disposed of the prophylactic. 

“See, we fit,” she said matter-of-factly.

“You’ve almost fallen off the bed twice.” He absently threaded his fingers through her hair. “The bed in your suite at Stark’s is infinitely larger than this one.”

“It’s comically large. And it’s at Howard’s.”

“I’m sure he doesn’t mind,” he said with a shrug.

“He doesn’t but I do like the… freedom we have here.” 

He looked at her, curious, and she kissed his chest.

“There are no prying eyes,” she said. “Or ears.”

“Ah. I see your point. Some of us are quite vocal.”

She quirked an eyebrow before lowering her head back to his chest. “ _Some_ of us? Try both of us.”

He chuckled. “True. I'll look into getting a double bed.”

“Don’t get it on my account. I spent much of the war sleeping in a cot, at best, or on the ground. I think I can handle a single bed with you.”

“I'm not doing it just for you. It's for us. If we’re going to be here, we need more room. I was thinking of making some room for you in my closet as well, just in case.”

She raised her head and looked at him. He couldn't tell what she was thinking, as her expression was part curiosity and part something else he couldn't quite decipher. 

“You’re thinking about the future,” she finally said. “ _Our_ future.”

“Of course.” Then he realized what she was saying. “You’re not thinking about a future together?”

“I… well…” She paused before continuing. “During the war, I learned to live in the here and now. I found the future to be… fleeting, to say the least.” She sighed. “You can plan all you want, but it could change in an instant.”

He knew she was talking about Captain America, and he tried not to feel threatened, but honestly, it was Captain America. Ray Krzeminski’s words echoed in his head: ‘No girl’s gonna trade in a red, white and blue shield for an aluminum crutch’. 

But she did, in a way. The shield was gone forever but the crutch was within reach. And she reached for it. For now, anyway. For the future? He thought so before, but now…

She must have sensed his thoughts, as she grasped his hand and met his gaze. “Just because I haven’t thought about a future with you doesn’t mean I don’t want one. I do.”

He let out a sigh of relief, and she shook her head.

“You really thought this was just a fling?”

His only answer was a shrug.

“I'd hoped you thought better of me than that.” The disappointment in her voice was unmistakable.

“No, it's not that,” he stammered. “I just… I don't know what I was thinking. I was hoping you wanted something… long term. But if you don't, then--”

She put two fingers over his lips. “I do want long term, Daniel, but…” She paused, then lay her hand on his chest, palm splayed over his heart. “I thought that my chance at love -- true, honest love, not lust or just physical attraction -- but _real_ love… I thought my only chance had crashed into the sea. Literally. Rarely does one get a second chance, especially at something so significant, but I did. I found you.”

With her hand on his chest, he wouldn’t be surprised if she felt his heart swell to twice its size.

“So maybe,” he ventured, “you haven’t been thinking of the future because you’re afraid something will happen. Like before.”

She shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t want to jinx this.”

“You won’t jinx it. This, us, is very different. You’re a different person than you were during the war. And, well, I’m no hero.”

She looked at him until he met her gaze. “That’s where you’re wrong, Daniel. You are a hero. You returned from the war and you could have used your injury as a crutch, no pun intended, to get a safe job in an office somewhere. But you have devoted your life to righting wrongs, to protecting the public. You put your life on the line. If that isn’t the definition of a hero, I don’t know what is.”

He didn’t know how to respond so he remained silent.

“But honestly,” she continued, “you should know by now that I neither want nor need a hero. What I want is someone to share my life with, as unpredictable as that life is. I want someone who wants me for me, as unpredictable as I am.”

“You _are_ pretty unpredictable,” he said with a straight face.

She smiled and nudged him in the shoulder. “You haven’t seemed to mind so far.”

“I don’t mind it at all, if it means being with you.” He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. “Tell you what. We’ll take it a day at a time for now.”

“But it wouldn’t hurt to keep the future in mind,” she added for him. “This is not a fling. It never was for me. I don’t give away my heart to just anyone, you know.”

“I have your heart?”

She nodded. “You have for quite some time, even if it took me so long to admit it. I love you, Daniel.”

“I love you, too, Peg.”

She leaned her head toward his, giving him a soft kiss before settling her head back on his chest.

“I'm still going to look into a double bed this weekend,” he said.

“That’s fine. We could use more room. It will afford us a bit more freedom space-wise.”

“And what did you have in mind for that extra space?”

“You want unpredictable, Daniel? You’ll get it.”

He smiled as he tightened his arms around her. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”


End file.
